Govana steps out of Aidonia's shadow

After delivering a triad of noteworthy performances at the 2017 instalment of Reggae Sumfest, along with Beach Cawvinz in Portland and Alligator Pond over the Independence weekend, it is clear that the dancehall community has given 4th Genna recording artiste Govana the stamp of approval as the next big star emerging out of Jamaica.

Patiently honing his skill set under the tutelage of Aidonia for a number of years, the Spanish Town native, whose given name is Romeo Nelson, has officially stepped out of his mentor's shadow to become a solo act, and is already commanding attention with uptempo tracks like No Complaining and Happy. The latter currently occupies the number seven spot on the Magnum Pree Dis Dancehall Top 10 chart.

However, it's his latest effort, Gyal Clown, that was recorded on the 'Genna Bounce rhythm' (also features the monster hit Yeah Yeah by Aidonia) that has thrusted him even further into the spotlight, subsequently leading to several international players expressing an interest to work with the fast-rising star.

According to Govana, "Gyal Clown is definitely opening a lot of doors for me presently. Aside from being one of the most rotated songs for the summer, several overseas agents have been reaching out to my management team wanting shows and also to collaborate on various projects. For that, I am thankful. However, at present, I am not at liberty to speak on everything, but when the time is right, all will be revealed."

Govana further explained that fans can look out for a lot of new material in the months ahead, both audio and visual. He recently released the official video for Shallow Grung, a gritty street composition that has amassed more than 100,000 views via Vevo since it premiered late June. The video was shot by burgeoning director 300K.

In reflecting on his journey and current rise, Govana said, "The journey has been like a roller coaster in a lot of way, but there is nothing that I regret. The tougher the battle, the sweeter the victory. I've had to fight to reach where I am, and the fighting has helped me to cement myself in the streets of Jamaica. I've paid my toll and I'm happy to finally see the highway."